The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners — or “non-nutritive sweeteners” in research — are everywhere: from Splenda in your coffee to that fountain Diet Coke you crush at lunch.
I’ll be straight with you: If I’m walking through Publix, there’s no chance I pass by the fountain drinks without snagging a Diet Coke. Not long ago, there was an older (and rather out-of-shape) gentleman who told me I was “really harming myself with all that fake sugar.” It made me wonder: are diet drinks and artificial sweeteners a dangerous shortcut, or are they a strategic tool that helps men lean out, stay sharp, and perform at their best? Well, what does the evidence say?
Common Artificial Sweeteners
Sucralose (Splenda)
Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K, Sunett, Sweet One)
Saccharin (Sweet’N Low)
Neotame and Advantame (newer, less common)
Plant-Derived Sweeteners: Stevia & Monk Fruit
Stevia — extracted from the stevia rebaudiana plant. Systematic reviews show minimal impact on blood sugar, with possible benefits for glycemic control (Nichol et al., 2018).
Monk fruit extract (luo han guo) — standardized for mogrosides, which are 150–200× sweeter than sugar. Early evidence shows no impact on blood sugar or insulin, and it’s considered safe for human use (Zhang et al., 2019).
Do They Cause Chronic Disease?
Thankfully, we have strong evidence from randomized controlled trials. Observational studies suggest associations between sweetener intake and disease risk (Debras et al., 2022), but these are heavily confounded by reverse causation — men already dealing with health issues are the most likely to switch to diet drinks.
Meta-analysis of 17 RCTs (McGlynn et al., 2022) showed that replacing sugar with sweeteners reduced bodyweight, BMI, body fat, and liver fat, without raising blood pressure, cholesterol, or mortality risk.
Do They Make You Hungrier?
Some argue that “sweet without calories” drives cravings. In reality, meta-analyses show the opposite: artificial sweeteners generally reduce or maintain calorie intake (Pang et al., 2020).
Swapping a 300-calorie soda for a zero-calorie option won’t blow up your appetite — it can help keep you consistent.
What About the Gut Microbiome?
The hype says sweeteners wreck gut health. Human data doesn’t back this up. In one trial, participants consumed sucralose equal to 15–25 diet sodas per day. After a week, there were no significant changes in gut microbiome composition (Thomson et al., 2019).
Sweeteners vs. Water
Replacing sugar with diet drinks is clearly a win. But how do they compare to water? McGlynn et al. (2022) found no meaningful differences in weight, body fat, or BMI when comparing diet drinks to water.
There was a tiny bump in HbA1c (+0.21%) and a slight drop in systolic blood pressure (–2.6 mmHg), but both were small and clinically trivial.
The Devil that is Aspartame…
Aspartame is the lightning rod. It’s been studied for decades, and people are still claiming it’s causing cancer at unheralded rates. As Lee Corso says, “Not so fast, my friend.”
No human evidence of harm. The FDA (1981), EFSA (2013), and WHO/JECFA (2023) have all reviewed the data and concluded that aspartame is safe within the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of ~40–50 mg/kg/day.
Rodent studies at extreme doses have reported cancer or neurological effects (Soffritti et al., 2007). But these doses were hundreds of times higher than what a human could realistically consume, and regulatory bodies have dismissed them due to methodological flaws.
Human trials and epidemiology consistently show no link between normal aspartame use and cancer, neurological disease, or metabolic harm (Magnuson et al., 2007; Toews et al., 2019).
The IARC (2023) labeled aspartame “possibly carcinogenic” (Group 2B) based on limited evidence. At the same time, JECFA reaffirmed its safety at current intake levels.
Here’s some perspective: a 200-lb man would need to drink 20–25 cans of Diet Coke every single day just to reach the ADI. That’s not grabbing a fountain Diet Coke here and there — that’s a case of soda a day, every day, for life. And even at that level, human studies haven’t shown harm.
A small caveat is that Men with phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid aspartame because their bodies cannot safely metabolize phenylalanine, one of its breakdown products.
Aspartame has been put under the microscope more than any other sweetener. After 40+ years of data, the verdict is clear — at normal human consumption levels, it’s fine. We shouldn’t still be arguing about Aspartame when 80% of men don’t exercise enough and 75% of us are overweight.
The Bottom Line
Artificial sweeteners aren’t magic, but they’re not some toxic shortcut either.
Compared to sugar: Better for fat loss, blood sugar, and heart health.
Compared to water: Neutral, but for God’s sake please drink water (about 100oz a day). I don’t need people saying that read this article and thought, “Dr. Taylor said to ONLY drink Diet Cokes instead of water.” Thank you for your cooperation.
Stevia & monk fruit: Natural, safe, and likely beneficial.
Aspartame: Decades of human research show it’s safe. The “harm” claims come from rat studies with unrealistically high doses, not real-world use.
For men striving to forge strength, discipline, and long-term health — sweeteners aren’t going to build muscle or sharpen your mind. But they can help you stick to the habits that will. If swapping a Diet Coke for some calorie-dense snack keeps you on track, that is always going to be the right play. If you can limit overconsumption - you can take better control of your health.
If you’re ready to surround yourself with like-minded men who push each other to be better—join The Brotherhood HERE. Iron sharpens iron, and no man becomes heroic alone.
References
Debras C, Chazelas E, Srour B, et al. Artificial sweeteners and risk of cardiovascular diseases: results from the NutriNet-Santé cohort. BMJ. 2022;378:e071204.
McGlynn ND, Khan TA, Chiavaroli L, et al. Association of low- and no-calorie sweetened beverages with body weight and cardiometabolic risk: systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(3):e222092.
Pang MD, Goossens GH, Blaak EE. Impact of artificial sweeteners on body weight control and glucose homeostasis. Front Nutr. 2020;7:598340.
Thomson P, Santibañez R, Aguirre C, et al. Short-term impact of sucralose on metabolic response and gut microbiome. Br J Nutr. 2019;122(8):856–862.
Nichol AD, Holle MJ, An R. Glycemic impact of non-nutritive sweeteners: systematic review of RCTs. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018;72(6):796–804.
Zhang J, Zhang Y, Wang Y, et al. Safety and metabolic impact of mogrosides from monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii). Food Chem Toxicol. 2019;127:31–39.
Magnuson BA, Burdock GA, Doull J, et al. Aspartame: a safety evaluation based on current use levels, regulations, and toxicological studies. Crit Rev Toxicol. 2007;37(8):629–727.
Soffritti M, Belpoggi F, Tibaldi E, et al. Life-span exposure to low doses of aspartame beginning during prenatal life increases cancer effects in rats. Environ Health Perspect. 2007;115(9):1293–1297.
Toews I, Lohner S, Küllenberg de Gaudry D, et al. Association between intake of non-sugar sweeteners and health outcomes: systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ. 2019;364:k4718.
World Health Organization (WHO) & Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Statement on aspartame. 2023.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Scientific opinion on the re-evaluation of aspartame (E951) as a food additive. EFSA Journal. 2013;11(12):3496.
